Date: Mon, 9 Jun 1997 08:24:01 -0400 (EDT)
From: Darrell128@aol.com
Subject: NR 97054: Classis GR South Rejects LaGrave Ave. Overture to Ordain Women
NR #1997-054: Classis Grand Rapids South Rejects LaGrave Avenue Overture to
Ordain Women
As the second-largest and one of the most prestigious Christian Reformed
congregations in Grand Rapids, LaGrave Avenue CRC's membership includes some
of the most important business and professional leaders in the Grand Rapids
area who aren't accustomed to seeing their ideas rejected. That's what
happened at Classis Grand Rapids South, however, when by a two-thirds
majority the classis met on May 15 at LaGrave Ave. and rejected the church's
overture to ordain women. Longtime LaGrave Ave. pastor Rev. Jacob Eppinga --
who served as the keynote speaker for the first Interclassical Conference of
CRC conservatives in South Holland, Illinois -- said he was both surprised
and pleased by the rejection of the overture by the church he pastored until
his retirement and of which he is still a member. "I'm very happy with the
decision of classis; everyone knows where I stand," said Eppinga, noting that
there had been "a shift of opinion on a number of issues" in the church he
pastored for 34 years until his retirement in 1987.
NR #1997-054: For Immediate Release
Classis Grand Rapids South Rejects LaGrave Avenue Overture to Ordain Women
by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer
United Reformed News Service
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (May 16, 1997) URNS -- As the second-largest and one of
the most prestigious Christian Reformed congregations in Grand Rapids,
LaGrave Avenue CRC's membership includes some of the most important business
and professional leaders in the Grand Rapids area who aren't accustomed to
seeing their ideas rejected.
That's what happened at Classis Grand Rapids South, however, when by a
two-thirds majority the classis met on May 15 at LaGrave Ave. and rejected
the church's overture to ordain women.
"We took the matter seriously, we did not quickly decide what we would do,"
said Elder Don Oppewal of LaGrave Ave, noting that a congregational meeting
had approved women elders by a two-thirds majority . "We took the decision
also to be of assistance to other churches in our classis which are somewhere
in this process."
Oppewal didn't speak for all members of the church, however. Deacon Ken
Horjus sent a letter to classis protesting the church's action on the grounds
that LaGrave Ave. did not meet the synodical requirement that churches show
local need for women elders. According to Horjus, LaGrave Ave. has never had
a lack of men willing to serve, nor has it shown that the majority of the
congregation strongly object to barring women from the eldership.
"What Mr. Horjus did in the letter is take the words 'needs and
circumstances' and translate into lack of male leadership and therefore need
for female leadership," said Oppewal, arguing that Horjus had misinterpreted
the synodical position.
That explanation didn't sit well with Horjus' father, the newly-appointed
Christian Reformed director of finance and administration, who was granted
privilege of the floor and told classis that less than 400 of the 900
professing members over 18 had cast ballots.
"When all the shouting is over, we have a split vote of those voting and not
even a majority of those eligible voted," said Ken Horjus, Sr. "I don't think
we know the mind of the congregation, but that's just speculation, and one
man's speculation is as good as another."
Other members of LaGrave Ave. said the overture had even less support than
the vote would indicate. According to members who declined to be identified,
LaGrave Ave. has a number of members who are often absent for business or
other reasons, and a significant number of the "yes" votes were proxy ballots
cast by members who were not actively involved in the life of the church.
Rev. James McCune of Wayland CRC noted that the debate -- made in front of
cameras from the local CBS affiliate -- had drawn unnecessary attention to a
classis that doesn't have a reputation for taking strong stands on
controversial issues. "That statement has thrown our denomination into
doctrinal chaos," said McCune. "I'd like to point out that this is
unnecessary, there is no reason for classis to pass this overture. Synod said
they are free to do this, there is no reason to declare the word 'male'
inoperative for our entire classis."
Rev. Robert Bolt of Burton Heights CRC warned that adoption of the LaGrave
Ave. overture could cause serious problems. "If we pass this we are saying
women elders can come here to be a part of this classis," said Bolt. If we
have churches that have a problem with this it's going to be a real problem."
Elder David Luikaart of Burton Heights CRC made clear that his congregation
could be one of those churches. "If this is passed we will lose members in
Burton Heights, we will lose other members throughout our classis," said
Luikaart. "I would ask that we vote this down, or ask LaGrave Ave. to
withdraw their motion in a spirit of unity with our classis."
"It could in effect bind a council if it had biblical convictions about not
sending delegates to a classis where women are present," said Luikaart. "As
our council is presently constituted I don't think our council could go to
classis meetings if a woman were seated as a delegate."
Rev. John Steigenga, associate pastor of LaGrave Ave., said LaGrave Ave.
hadn't come to classis to create trouble. "We are here pastorally, we belong
to a covenant community, we did not want to just do this and have you hear
about it or do this and say we we've done this now, you have to live with
it," said Steigenga.
In response to questions from other delegates, Steigenga said LaGrave Ave.
hadn't considered moving to a classis that supported women's ordination. In
the immediate Grand Rapids area, only Classis Grand Rapids East has made that
decision.
After questions from other delegates, other churches indicated that they
agreed with the LaGrave Ave. overture and either allowed or planned to allow
women in office. That didn't sway the classis, however, which voted down the
LaGrave Ave. overture by a 23-12 margin. Classis subsequently acknowledged
the 1995 synodical decision allowing local churches to take exception to the
decision of classis with respect to the office of elder but not of minister
or evangelist.
Longtime LaGrave Ave. pastor Rev. Jacob Eppinga -- who served as the keynote
speaker for the first Interclassical Conference of CRC conservatives in South
Holland, Illinois -- said he was both surprised and pleased by the rejection
of the overture by the church he pastored until his retirement and of which
he is still a member.
"I'm very happy with the decision of classis; everyone knows where I stand,"
said Eppinga, noting that there had been "a shift of opinion on a number of
issues" in the church he pastored for 34 years until his retirement in 1987.
"I felt that on this matter I had to speak up, and wrote a letter to
consistory," said Eppinga. "I was asked whether if it passed I would work for
peace and ask the congregation to stay together."
"I had to think through the implications of that; I decided at that point
that if that's the direction LaGrave is going I will remain loyal to it but
will have problems."
What's next for LaGrave Ave.?
"I don't know what the LaGrave church is going to do, I would hope that the
LaGrave church would say classis has spoken, we will go along with the
classis," said Eppinga.
The current LaGrave Ave. pastor said he didn't know what weight the classis
decision would carry with his council. "Prior to classis we did not talk
about what we would do as a council if classis did not go along with this
overture," said Steigenga. "The decision was made to open the offices, and of
course to change that would be to change a decision of council that has
already been made."
Cross-References to Related Articles:
#1995-070: Christian Reformed Classes Permitted to Declare Church Order Ban
on Women's Ordination "Inoperative"; Synod Decision Given Immediate Effect
without Two-Year Ratification Process
#1996-071: Orthodox Presbyterian Fraternal Delegate Announces Suspension of
Ties With Christian Reformed Church
#1996-076: CRC Synod Rejects 25 Overtures and Communications Calling for End
to Classical Option on Ordination of Women
#1996-104: New Denomination Born: Most Christian Reformed Seceders Organize
as "United Reformed Churches of North America"
#1997-020: Christian Reformed Membership Loss Speeds Up: 30,551 Members Lost
in Five Year Slide
Contact List:
Rev. Robert Bolt, Pastor, Burton Heights Christian Reformed Church
1970 Jefferson Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49507
O: (616) 243-5319 * H: (616) 475-9612 * FAX: (616) 243-8902
Dr. David Engelhard, General Secretary, Christian Reformed Church in North
America
2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560
O: (616) 246-0744 * H: (616) 243-2418 * FAX: (616) 246-0834 * E-Mail:
engelhad@crcna.org
Rev. Jacob Eppinga, Pastor Emeritus, LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church
2141 Ontonagon SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506
H: (616) 241-2415
Deacon Ken Horjus, Jr., LaGrave Ave. Christian Reformed Church
c/o LaGrave Ave. CRC, 107 LaGrave Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
O: (616) 454-7204 * FAX: (616) 454-9710
Ken Horjus, Sr., Director of Finance & Administration, Christian Reformed
Church
2850 Kalamazoo Ave., SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560
O: (616) 224-0744 * FAX: (616) 224-5895
Elder David Luikaart, Burton Heights Christian Reformed Church
c/o Burton Heights CRC, 1970 Jefferson Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49507
O: (616) 243-5319
Rev. James McCune, Pastor, Wayland Christian Reformed Church
325 E. Elm St., Wayland, MI 49348
O: (616) 792-2828 * H: (616) 792-4234 * E-Mail: jmmcune169@aol.com
Elder Don Oppewal, LaGrave Ave. Christian Reformed Church
c/o LaGrave Ave. CRC, 107 LaGrave Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
O: (616) 454-7204 * FAX: (616) 454-9710
Rev. John Steigenga, Associate Pastor, LaGrave Ave. Christian Reformed Church
2213 Okemos SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
O: (616) 454-7204 * H: (616) 241-2780 * FAX: (616) 454-9710
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